Kevin M. Chun

Kevin M. Chun, PhD, is professor of psychology and co-founding faculty member of USF’s Asian American Studies and Critical Diversity Studies programs. Professor Chun uses community-based research methods to study acculturation effects on Asian American immigrant health and psychosocial adjustment. His research program aims to improve acculturation theory and measures, and develop health interventions that reduce immigrant families’ acculturation stress.

Prof. Chun was co-principal investigator on two large-scale National Institutes of Health R01 research grants involving USF, UCSF, Cameron House, and North East Medical Services in San Francisco Chinatown. The first project identified cultural issues in type 2 diabetes management for Chinese Americans and the second one culturally-adapted and tested the first cognitive-behavioral type 2 diabetes management intervention in the nation for Chinese American immigrants. Based on these studies, Chun and his colleagues developed a new self-report measure of bicultural efficacy in health management (BEFF-HM), which is a better predictor of several immigrant health outcomes than widely used proxy and general acculturation measures.

Professor Chun and his USF colleagues recently published Multicultural Psychology (2nd edition), a textbook for multicultural psychology courses and other psychology, social science, and health courses examining cultural diversity issues.

• Acculturation
• Bicultural efficacy in health management
• Immigrant health disparities
• Asian American psychology
• Multicultural psychology
• Ethnic minority mental health
• Family psychology

• PhD, Clinical Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles
• BS, Psychology, Santa Clara University
• Psychology Internship at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System

• USF College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Scholar Award (2017-18)
• Featured in the "Ethnicity and Health in America Series" by the American Psychological Association, Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs (2013)
• Appointed Fellow of the Asian American Psychological Association for "unusual and outstanding contributions to the field" (2011)
• USF Office of Multicultural Services Faculty Award (2007)
• Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions from the Asian American Psychological Association (2005)
• USF Ignatian Service Award (2004)
• USF Irvine Scholar Fellowship (1995)

• Chesla, C.A., Chun, K.M., & Kwan, C.M.L. (2019). Biculturalism in couple support for diabetes care in US-born Chinese Americans. Research in Nursing & Health, 42(1), 39-47.
• Balls Organista, P., Marín, G., & Chun, K. M. (2018). Multicultural psychology, 2nd edition. Rowman & Littlefield.
• Chesla, C. A., Chun, K. M., Kwong, Y., Gay, C. L., Chi, H. L., Gu, Y., Hernandez, L., Huang, P., & Strycker, L. A. (2016). Cultural adaption of the Group Lifestyle Balance Program for Chinese Americans. The Diabetes Educator, 42(6), 689-696.
• Chun, K. M., Kwan, C. M. L., Strycker, L. A., Chesla, C. A. (2016). Acculturation and bicultural efficacy effects on Chinese American immigrants’ diabetes and health management. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 39(5), 896-907.
• Chesla, C. A., Chun, K. M., Kwan, C. M. L., Mullan, J. T., Kwong, Y., Hsu, L., Huang, P., Strycker, L. A., Shum, T., To, D., Kao, R., & Waters, C. M. (2013). Testing the efficacy of culturally adapted coping skills training for Chinese American immigrants with type 2 diabetes using community-based participatory research. Research in Nursing & Health, 36(4), 359-372.
• Chun, K. M., & Hsu, J. (2012). Adjustment disorders in Asians. In E. C. Chang (Ed.), Handbook of adult psychopathology in Asians: Theory, diagnosis, and treatment (pp. 328-356). New York: Oxford University Press.
• Chun, K. M., Chesla, C. A., & Kwan, C. (2011). "So we adapt step by step": Acculturation experiences affecting diabetes management and perceived health for Chinese American immigrants. Social Science & Medicine, 72(2), 256-264.
• Balls Organista, P., Marin, G., & Chun, K. M. (2010). The psychology of ethnic groups in the United States. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
• Chun, K. M. & Akutsu, P. D. (2009). Assessing Asian American family acculturation in clinical settings: Guidelines and recommendations for health professionals. In J. F. Rosenbaum, N. Trinh, F. G. Lu, K. M. Sanders, & Y. C. Rho (Eds.), Handbook of mental health and acculturation in Asian American families (pp. 99-122). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.
• Chun, K. M. (2009). Religious organizations in San Francisco Chinatown: Sites of acculturation for Chinese immigrant youth. In Lorentzen, L. A., Gonzalez III, J. J., Chun, K. M., & Do, H. D. (Eds.), Religion at the corner of bliss and nirvana: Politics, identity, and faith in new migrant communities (pp. 89-123). Durham: Duke University Press.
• Chesla, C. A., Chun, K. M., & Kwan, C. (2009). Cultural and family challenges to managing type 2 diabetes in immigrant Chinese Americans. Diabetes Care, 32(10), 1812-1816.
• Chun, K. M., Morera, O. F., Andal, J. D., & Skewes, M. C. (2007). Conducting research with diverse Asian American groups. In F. T. Leong, A. G. Inman, A. Ebreo, L. H. Yang, L. M. Kinoshita, & M. Fu (Eds.), Handbook of Asian American psychology (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Chun, K. M. (2006). Conceptual and measurement issues in family acculturation research. In M. H. Bornstein & L. R. Cote (Eds.), Acculturation and parent-child relationships: Measurement and development (pp. 63-78). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Chun, K. M., Balls Organista, P., & Marin, G. (2005). Acculturation: Advances in theory, measurement, and applied research. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
• Chesla, C. A. & Chun, K. M. (2005). Accommodating type 2 diabetes in the Chinese American family. Qualitative Health Research, 15(2), 240-255.
• Chun, K. M., & Chesla, C. A. (2004). Cultural issues in disease management for Chinese Americans with type 2 diabetes. Psychology and Health, 19(6), 767-785.
• Fisher, L., Chesla, C. A., Chun, K. M., Skaff, M., Mullan, J., & Kanter, R. (2004). Patient-appraised couple emotion management and disease management among Chinese American patients with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Family Psychology, 18(2), 302-310.
• Marin, G., Balls Organista, P., & Chun, K. M. (2003). Acculturation research: Current issues and findings. In G. Bernal, J. E. Trimble, A. K. Burlew, & F. T. Leong (Eds.), Handbook of racial & ethnic minority psychology (pp. 308-219). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Chun, K. M., Eastman, K. L., Wang, G. C., & Sue, S. S. (1998). Psychopathology. In L. C. Lee & N. W. Zane (Eds.), Handbook of Asian American psychology (1st ed., pp. 457-484). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.